Cutter head assembly for dry shaver having skin undulating means



Sept. 5, 1967- o. R. LOCKE ET AL ,3

. CUTTER HEAD ASSEMBLY FOR DRY SHAVER HAVING SKIN UNDULATING MEANS FiledApril 2, 1965 5 5, a w w x w L fiw m INVENTORS. DA V/D E. ZOCKE J0/7'A/F DAM/5L5 ATTOf VE) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure isdirected to a cutter head assembly for an electric dry shaver whereinskin engaging means are arranged between a pair of spaced and parallelcutter units on the same side of a mounting plate which is adapted forattachment to a shaver casing. The skin engaging means are mounted onspring means for yieldable movement transversely of the cutter units andpositioning means are provided for locating and establishing the limitsof transverse movement of the skin engaging means.

The present invention relates to electric shavers and more particularlyto an improved cutter head assembly.

It is desirable to provide an electric shaver with a cutter headassembly having a skin engaging member that during operation is urgedagainst the users skin in the area adjacent the cutting elements and inthe path thereof. In some electric shavers a barrier or comb is mountedbetween transverse slotted outer cutter members and which outer cuttermembers have reciprocating inner shearing members operatively disposedtherein. The purpose of such barrier or comb is to engage the skinduring manipulation of the shaver back and forth across the skin of theuser in a manner such that the skin undulates (or progressively bulges)in advance of the shaver whereby individual hairs thereon are disposedin optimum cutting position for engagement with the adjacent cuttermembers.

In the past, problems have been encountered in the use of shavers havingsuch skin engaging members. For example, when a barrier or comb isrigidly mounted it is not uncommon for the user to experience a pinchingor.

hair pulling sensation as a result of an excessive amount of bulgingskin becoming wedged between the barrier and an adjacent cutter member.To overcome this problem and add to the users comfort many prior artshavers have utilized skin engaging members that are movable relative tothe shaver.

It is further desirable to provide an electric shaver having a cutterhead assembly with yieldingly mounted skin engaging means operativelyassociated with the cutter members, which cutter head assembly isreadily assembled or disassembled without the use of any tools orspecial .implements.

The present invention contemplates a cutter head assembly which includesa novel skin engaging structure interrelated with a novel arrangement ofassociated elements readily adapted for disassembly. In one embodiment,the skin engaging structure comprises a floating bar mounted adjacent toand cooperating with associated cutter members. The cutter members andthe bar each have skin engaging surfaces that are disposed in asubstantially coplanar relationship when the shaver is not in use. Morespecifically the bar is mounted to yield when subjected to a forceexerted on the skin engaging surface thereof, and which forcenecessarily results in a varying manner when the shaver is pressedagainst the face of the user. To this end the bar is urged against aspring bias in accordance with the amount of bulging of the users UnitedStates Patent 'ice skin, and is thereby adaptable to the particularshaving habits and skin conditions of a user.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electric shaver withan improved cutter head assembly that can be passed smoothly over theface of the user.

Another object is to provide an electric shaver with an improved cutterhead assembly having a novel means for mounting a skin engaging memberthat yields in response to varying pressure of the shaver against theface of the user.

Still another object is to provide an electric shaver with an improvedcutter head assembly having stationary cutter members which operativelycooperate with a novel yieldingly mounted skin engaging member.

Yet another object is to provide an electric shaver with an improvedcutter head unit having a novel floating bar assembly which isrelatively inexpensive to manufacture and which may easily bedisassembled and reassembled without affecting the operation thereof.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention willappear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detaileddescription which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawingwherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of an electric shaverincorporating the improved cutter head assembly of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded view of the cutter head assembly; and

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing for a detailed description of the inventionand more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shaver cutter head assembly isgenerally indicated by reference numeral 10. Cutter head assembly 10 ismounted on a main casing 11, which is fashioned to accommodate aconventional detachable hair pocket casing (not shown) for enclosingcutter head assembly 10. It is not necessary to show a hair pocketcasing in that for the purposes of the present invention anyconventional, dome-shaped, hair pocket casing may be employed which willabut against the top surface 12 or the adjacent side surfaces 13 of themain casing 11 and be held thereto by frictional engaging means such asclips, snaps, or the like, well known in the art.

The cutting means are of a known type and as illustrataed comprise twostandard elongated cutter units 14 and 15 secured in a suitable mannerin spaced and parallel relationship on a rectangular mounting plate 16by means of detachable resilient U-shaped clips 17. Each cutter unit, 14and 15, includes an elongated stationary outer cutter member 18 ofsubstantially tubular configuration and an elongated movable innercutter member 19 maintained in cutting cooperation therein by a leafspring of the general type designated by reference nu meral 21 in FIG.2. The outer cutter members 18 are provided with transverse hairreceiving slots 22 (see FIG. 1) disposed in the skin engaging portionsthereof for permitting hair to be sheared by the movable inner cuttermembers 19 which traverse the inner surface of the slotted skin engagingportions for cutting hair in a manner well known in the art. The outercutter members are also provided with an integral channel shapedreinforcement portion 23 which defines the bottom surface thereof.

Now referring only to FIG. 2, a motor drive assembly of any conventionalform is mounted within the main casing 11 and includes a pair ofoscillatable drive arms 24 which project outwardly of casing 11 throughan aperture 25 therein. The drive arms 24 impart common reciprocalmotion to inner cutter members 19 through intermediate leaf springs 21which are operably engaged therewith at bends 26 through which the crosssectional view of FIG. 2 is taken. The bends 26 in the leaf springsprovide seats for each of the drive arms 24 in a manner which is quitecommon in drive assemblies used in the shaver art.

Referring now to FIG. 3 as well as to FIG. 2, mounting plate 16, uponwhich the cutter units 14 and 15 are detachably mounted, is secured to acover plate 30, which is attached to the main casing in any standardmanner. To this end resilient latching fingers 31 (see FIG. 3), whichare integral members extending from cover plate 30, are disposed tocooperate with the ends of angular tabs 32 extending from mounting plate16. More specifically, the securement is elfected by urging mountingplate 16 downward against cover plate 30 such that angular tabs 32contact the end portions 33 of latching fingers 31 and cause the fingersto flex outwardly to the extent necessary to allow tabs 32 to pass andseat in the rest position shown at FIG. 3, at which position the fingersreturn to their normal non-flexed state and retain mounting plate 16securely against cover plate 30. Mounting plate 16 is of substantiallyrectangular configuration and includes depending flange portions 34extending downwardly from spaced side edges thereof, which flangeportions are urged against the top surface 12 of casing 11 in theassembled condition described hereinabove. It should be further notedthat mounting plate 16, cover plate 30, and outer cutter members 18 areprovided with registering apertures 35, 36, and 37 respectively (seeFIG. 2) for accommodating drive arms 24.

In order to prevent pinching and pulling from occurring when the shaverhead is moved across the skin of the user and to present a smooth andcomfortable operation whereby the hair to be cut is disposed in optimumcutting position, it is a feature of this invention to provide afloating bar assembly 40 disposed between spaced cutter units 14 and 15.As pointed out above it is further contemplated to provide bar assemblystructure that is operatively associated with cutter units 14 and 15 andmounting plate 16 in a manner that lends itself to fast and easy manualdisassembly and reassembly without necessitating the use of tools orspecial implements. To this end floating bar assembly 40 comprises askin engaging member 41, a plastic insert 42 and a leaf spring 43, allof which are illustrated clearly in the exploded view at FIG. 4. Skinengaging member 41, is retained in frictional engagement with plasticinsert 42, both of which are disposed between spaced cutter units 14 and15 in a manner whereby the exposed outer surface 44 of skin engagingmember 41 is maintained substantially coplanar with the slotted surfacesof outer cutter members 18, when the shaver is not in use. The structureinvolved in the retention of bar assembly 40 will be described infurther detail hereinafter. Skin engaging member 41 which issubstantially channel-shaped includes center portion 44a and spaced sidewalls 45, the latter walls each being provided with apertures 46 and aslot 47 disposed for registration with insert projections 48, and 49respectively. In assembled form, skin engaging member 41 is clamped overand in frictional engagement with plastic insert 42 as shown in FIG. 2,such that, when the top surface 50 (shown clearly in FIG. 4) of plasticinsert 42 engages the under surface of center portion 44a of the skinengaging member the under surfaces 53 (see FIG. 3) of insert projections48 rest on the lower edge of apertures 46, thus preventing relativetransverse motion between skin engaging member 41 and plastic insert 42.Relative longitudinal motion between these elements is disposed in leafspring 43, which slot has dimensions slightly larger than the crosssection of projection 54. Spaced arms 56 of leaf spring 43 are disposedin flexing engagement with mounting plate 16.

When the shaver is not in use bar assembly 40 is retained between spacedouter cutter members 18, in the position shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 5.Leaf spring 43 imparts an outward biasing force on plastic insert 42,which is retained in said position by the limiting effect of therectangular lugs 60 and 60 which cooperate with oversized recesses 61and 61' in the side walls of outer cutter members 18. Recesses 61 and61' are of general rectangular configuration and provide a slot for thelugs associated therewith to traverse. The relative size of lugs 60 and60 with respect to the recesses is shown in FIG. 3, wherein for examplelug 60 (in phantom) is shown urged against the top edge of slot 61. Whenpressure is exerted on skin engaging member 41 and plastic insert 42 isurged against the bias of leaf spring 43, lugs 60 and 60' are permittedto traverse recesses 61 and 61' respectively, in accordance with theamount of pressure applied. It should also be noted that the clearanceprovided between the side surfaces of lug 60 and the vertical edges ofrecess 61 prevents lug 60 from becoming wedged on an angle in recess 61when a non-uniform pressure is applied to skin engaging member 41 suchthat the bar assembly yields on a slight longitudinal incline.

FIG. 5 illustrates in still more detail the cooperation between lugs 60'and recess 61 in outer cutter member 18. FIG. 5 also shows (as does FIG.2), the necessary clearance between the spaced side walls 45 of skinengaging member 41 and the opposing outer walls of outer cutter members18 that define the space in which the bar assembly is disposed. Theclearance provided is sufficient to permit bar assembly 40 to be urgedin its extreme position against the bias of leaf spring 43 withoutallowing it to become wedged between such walls of the outer cuttermembers.

It is seen (FIGS. 1 and 2) that the cutter head assembly is providedwith holding tabs 62 which are rigidly attached to the outwardly facingsurface of outer cutter members 18, and extend downwardly therefrom. (Aholding tab 62 associated with cutter unit 15 is shown in FIG. 1 and aholding tab 62 associated with cutter unit 14 is shown in FIG. 2.)Corresponding notched out portions 63 of mounting plate flanges 34 areprovided such that in assembled relation the tabs cooperate with notches63 to prevent relative longitudinal movement between mounting plate 16and outer cutter members 18. Such cooperative relationship also aidsclips 17 in securing outer cutter members 18 against sideward movementwith respect to mounting plate 16 and also against longitudinal andsideward movement with respect to casing 11 (see the corresponding notch64 in the casing shown at the cutaway portion of the casing shown inFIG. 1).

In light of the structure set forth in the above detailed descriptionthe disassembling and reassembling procedure is readily apparent. Forexample, to disassemble the cutter head assembly 10, it is first removedas a unit from casing 11 and actuator arms 24 by pulling it up withenough force to disengage resilient latching fingers 31 from theircooperative engagement with angular tabs 32. Referring now specificallyto FIG. 4, it is next necessary to remove resilient U-shaped clips 17,which permits the associated outer cutter member 18 (and the innercutter member disposed therein) to become disengaged from the mountingplate 16. At this point, the floating bar assembly, comprising skinengaging member 41, plastic insert 42 and leaf spring 43, is accessibleand may be removed by a slight lateral displacement thereof. It thenjust remains necessary to remove the clips holding the remaining outercutter member 18 to the mounting plate and by so doing the cutter headassembly is completely disassembled and ready for cleaning or whateveroperation is desired that requires such disassembly. Reassembling isobvious from the simple disassembly procedure outlined above. To thisend it includes clipping one outer cutter to the mounting plate,centrally positioning the bar assembly on the mounting plate, urging theassembly downward until the lug associated with the recess in thepositioned cutter member cooperates therewith, then clipping the otherouter cutter in place on the mounting plate such that the other luginterfits with its associated recess, and lastly snapping the entirecutter head assembly in place on the casing.

In operation, the cutter head assembly described above is manipulated ina back and forth motion across the surface of the users face to effect acutting action of hair thereon, by the reciprocal motion of theconventional shearing edges of the inner cutter member relative to theslotted outer cutter member. The skin engaging surface of the floatingbar assembly and the substantially coplanar slotted skin engagingsurface of the outer cutter members are urged against the users faceduring such manipulation to the extent necessary to permit hair on theusers face to enter the slots and be sheared by the reciprocating innercutter members. The bar assembly is mounted such that it effectivelyfloats in response to force applied thereto, while in contradistinctionthe outer cutter members, with which the bar assembly cooperativelyengages, are rigidly mounted. Thus, as mentioned above the bar tends toyield or give way to the skin as it bulges in response to the varyingforce exerted thereon by the pressure of the non-yielding precedingcutter unit. Such yielding action in effect permits the hair on thebulged portion of the skin to be positioned in optimum condition forshearing, while at the same time preventing the skin from becomingwedged or pinched between stationary members.

In view of the structure set forth above and particularly the novelfeatures concerning the bar assembly, it is readily apparent that theadvantages thereof are obvious to the skilled artisan. Included amongsuch advantages is the fact that the improved cutter head assembly whenadapted to a cutter head permits ease and comfort of manipulation. Also,the cutter head unit is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and lendsitself to ready manual disassembly and reassembly without using tools orspecial implements, thus, facilitating the periodic cleaning andmaintenance required of such shaver units.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed in detail by way of example, it is to be expressly understoodthat the invention is not limited thereto; various changes may be madein the design and in the arrangement of parts Without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims aswill now be understood by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cutter head assembly:

(a) a substantially rectangular mounting plate;

(b) two identical cutter units detachably mounted in spaced and parallelrelation on one side of said mounting plate;

(c) skin engaging means arranged on said one side of said mounting platebetween said cutter units;

((1) positioning means provided on adjacent portions of said cutterunits and skin engaging means for po-sitioning the skin engaging meansfor movement transversely of said cutter units between predetermindlimit positions; and

(e) resilient means for yieldingly mounting said skin engaging meansintermediate said cutter units and extending longitudinally thereof;

(f) said resilient means including means urging said skin engaging meansaway from a center portion of said mounting plate.

2. In a cutter head assembly:

(a) a substantiallyrectangular mounting plate;

(b) a pair of cutter units mounted in spaced and parallel relationshipon said mounting plate, each of said cutter units having opposingsurfaces with recesses on opposite ends thereof;

(0) skin engaging means arranged between the opposing surfaces of saidcutter units and extending longitudinally thereof;

(d) said skin engaging means including lugs registering with saidrecesses to retain said skin engaging means in position between saidcutter units and to permit movement of said skin engaging meanstransversely of said cutter units.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said skin engaging meansfurther include a bar urged away from said mounting plate by resilient'means disposed between said mounting plate and said bar.

4. In a cutter head assembly:

(a) a substantially rectangular mounting plate;

(b) a pair of cutter units mounted in spaced and parallel relationshipon said mounting plate; and

(c) skin engaging means arranged between said cutter units and extendinglongitudinally thereof;

' (d) said skin engaging means including a channel shaped member and abar shaped member, the latter memher being disposed in frictionalengagement between the side portions 01f said channel member;

(e) said skin engaging means further including means integral with saidbar shaped member and disposed v[for cooperation with each of saidcutter units to position said channel and bar shaped members on saidmounting plate for movement transversely of said cutter units.

5. In a cutter head assembly:

(a) a substantially rectangular mounting plate;

(b) a pair of cutter units mounted in spaced and parallel relationshipon said mounting plate, each of said cutter units having opposingsurfaces with recesses on opposite ends thereof;

(0) skin engaging means arranged between said cutter units and extendinglongitudinally thereof, said skin engaging means including lugsextending therefrom and in registration with said recesses for retainingskin engaging means for limited movement transversely of said cutterunits;

(d) said skin engaging means further including a channel shaped memberand a bar shaped member, the latter member being disposed in frictionalengageme'nt between extending side portions of said channel member;

(e) said skin engaging means still [further including a leaf springdisposed between said mounting plate and said bar shaped member forresiliently urging said bar shaped member and said channel shaped memberaway [from said mounting plate to a position established by thedisposition of said lugs in said recesses.

, 6. A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein the channel shaped membercomprises a center portion and substantially parallel side wallsextending from spaced side edges thereof, which side walls are providedwith spaced apertures; and wherein said bar shaped member is providedwith integral projecting portions on opposing sides thereof, saidprojecting portions each being positioned to register with acorresponding aperture in said channel shaped member and each having across sectional area with dimensions that correspond to the dimensionsof the aperture with which it registers.

7. An electrical dry shaver comprising,

(a) a casing having recessed portions provided in one end thereof;

(b) a substantially rectangular mounting plate attached to said one endof said casing and having recessed portions therein in alignment withsaid recessed portions of said shaver casing;

(c) a pair of cutter units mounted in spaced and parallel relationshipon said mounting plate and each including an inner cutter memberdisposed within a fixed outer cutter mem'ber;

(d) said cutter units including holding means in rigid engagement withsaid casing and said mounting plate;

(e) holding means comprising tabs extending downwardly from said outercutter members and engaged in said aligned recessed portions; and

(f) skin engaging means arranged between said cutter units and extendinglongitudinally thereotf;

(g) said skin engaging means including means cooperating with each ofsaid icutter units to position said skin engaging means on said mountingplates for movement transversely of said cutter units.

8. A cutter head assembly adapted for attachment as a 'unit to anelectric dry shaver casing, said assembly comprising (a) a substantiallyrectangular mounting plate,

( b) a pair of elongated cutter head units disposed in predeterminedposition on one side of said mounting plate in spaced and parallelrelationship thereon,

(c) skin engaging means carried by said assembly and including anelongated rectangular member disposed between said cutter head units andextending longitudinally thereof,

(d) means provided on the lower spaced end portions of said rectangularmember for positioning said member in predetenmined position within saidassembly between said |cutter head units upon said one side of saidmounting plate,

(e) a leaf spring member seated on said one side of said mounting plateand having a portion in engagement with said rectangular member tosupport the latter member for yieldable movement transversely of saidcutter units between spaced limit position within said assemblyestablished by said positioning means, and

(f) readily releasable clip means securing said cutter head units tosaid mounting plate to maintain said skin engaging means and cutter headunits in said mutually predetermined assembled position on said one sideof said mounting plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,309,431 1/1943 Alexay 30-43912,335,413 11/1943 Hicks 3043.1 2,343,705 3/1944 Rand 3034.2 2,670,5343/1954 Halber 3034.2 2,725,625 12/1955 Muntz 30-34.2 2,880,503 4/1959Carissimi 30-341 FOREIGN PATENTS 270,913 9/1950 Switzerland.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MYRON C. KRUSE, Examiner.

1. IN A CUTTER HEAD ASSEMBLY: (A) A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR MOUNTINGPLATE; (B) TWO IDENTICAL CUTTER UNITS DETACHABLY MOUNTED IN SPACED ANDPARALLEL RELATION ON ONE SIDE OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE; (C) SKIN ENGAGINGMEANS ARRANGED ON SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE BETWEEN SAIDCUTTER UNITS; (D) POSITIONING MEANS PROVIDED ON ADJACENT PORTIONS OFSAID CUTTER UNITS AND SKIN ENGAGING MEANS FOR POSITIONING THE SKINENGAGING MEANS FOR MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CUTTER UNITS BETWEENPREDETERMINED LIMIT POSITIONS; AND (E) RESILIENT MEANS FOR YIELDINGLYMOUNTING SAID SKIN ENGAGING MEANS INTERMEDIATE SAID CUTTER UNITS ANDEXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF; (F) SAID RESILIENT MEANS INCLUDINGMEANS URGING SAID SKIN ENGAGING MEANS AWAY FROM A CENTER PORTION OF SAIDMOUNTING PLATE.